System and method for configuring a switch matrix on-board a vehicle based on network information

Abstract

A method includes receiving a request associated with a communications path from a first device to a second device. The method includes generating switching configuration data based on network topology data associated with the communications path. The switching configuration data indicates a configuration of a switch matrix of a satellite. The method further includes causing the switch matrix to initialize or modify the communications path based on the switching configuration data. A portion of the communications path includes components of a payload of the satellite. The components including the switch matrix.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 receiving a request associated with communication between a first device and a second device; 
 responsive to the request, generating switching configuration data based on mapping a label-switched network path between the first device and the second device to one or more communication frequency slices; and 
 causing a switch matrix of a satellite to be configured based on the switching configuration data to enable the satellite to route a data packet with an encapsulated routing label between the first device and the second device without demodulating the data packet. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching configuration data is generated on-board the satellite, wherein the switch matrix includes a plurality of switches configured to couple one or more input ports of the satellite to one or more output ports of the satellite, and wherein the switching configuration data indicates states of one or more switches of the plurality of switches. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the switching configuration data indicates at least one of one or more filter configurations or one or more permutation tables associated with routing the one or more communication frequency slices associated with a radio frequency (RF) signal received at an input port of the satellite to one or more output ports of the satellite. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the request comprises at least one of a request to establish a communications path between the first and second devices, a request to modify the communications path, or a request to terminate the communications path, and wherein the switching configuration data is further generated based on user plane traffic patterns. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first device comprises a first ground-based device that is communicatively coupled to a first network associated with a first provider, wherein the second device comprises a second ground-based device that is communicatively coupled to a second network associated with a second provider, and wherein the configuration of the switch matrix is associated with generation of a first output beam at a first transmit antenna of the satellite. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first provider comprises a first virtual network operator associated with a first virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) instance, wherein the second provider comprises a second virtual network operator associated with a second VRF instance that is different than the first VRF instance, and wherein the switching configuration data enables partial peering between the first network and a satellite-based network that includes the satellite. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the switching configuration data enables full peering between the first network and a satellite-based network that includes the satellite, and wherein the switching configuration data enables full peering between the second network and the satellite-based network. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating additional configuration data based on network topology data; and 
 causing one or more other components of a payload of the satellite to be configured based on the additional configuration data, wherein the one or more other components include at least one of a channelizer, a combiner, or a regenerator. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the network topology data indicates connections between a plurality of network devices associated with one or more external networks. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving signaling data from a network device, wherein the signaling data includes information associated with one or more label-switched network paths through one or more external networks, and wherein the switching configuration data is generated based on the signaling data. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein network topology data is received in accordance with a constraint-based routing protocol, and wherein the signaling data is received in accordance with a signaling protocol. 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 processing, at a satellite, a request associated with a communications path between a first device and a second device, wherein a portion of the communications path includes components of a payload of the satellite, the components including a switch matrix; 
 responsive to the request, generating, at the satellite, switching configuration data based on mapping a label-switched network path between the first device and the second device to one or more communication frequency slices; and 
 configuring the switch matrix based on the switching configuration data to enable the satellite to route a data packet with an encapsulated routing label between the first device and the second device without demodulating the data packet. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving one or more traffic engineering parameters from a network device, wherein the switching configuration data is further based on the one or more traffic engineering parameters, and wherein the one or more traffic engineering parameters include at least one of a quality of service (QoS) parameter or a network-specific policy parameter. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating, at the satellite, beamforming configuration data based on network topology data and the communications path; and 
 configuring receive circuitry of the payload, transmit circuitry of the payload, or both, based on the beamforming configuration data, wherein the beamforming configuration data indicates one or more beamforming weights based on at least one of one or more phase values or one or more amplitude values. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving orchestration data at the satellite, wherein the orchestration data indicates one or more orchestrated events associated with operation of the satellite, and wherein the switching configuration data is further based on the orchestration data. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the orchestration data indicates at least one of a handover from the satellite to a second satellite, a planned outage associated with the satellite, an unplanned outage associated with the satellite, a change in orbit of the satellite, a change in system capacity demand associated with the satellite, or a change in user attachment point related to the satellite. 
     
     
       17. A system comprising:
 a vehicle including:
 a switch matrix including a plurality of switches coupled between one or more receive antennas of the vehicle and one or more transmit antennas of the vehicle; and 
 circuitry configured to initialize or modify a configuration of the switch matrix based on switching configuration data to enable routing of a data packet with an encapsulated routing label without demodulating the data packet; and 
 
 a ground-based device of a communications network, the ground-based device configured to generate the switching configuration data based on mapping a label-switched network path between a first device and a second device to one or more communication frequency slices. 
 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the vehicle comprises a satellite or an aerial vehicle. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the ground-based device is integrated in a ground-based operations center or includes a gateway, and wherein the ground-based device is communicatively coupled to the vehicle via a satellite communications link. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 17 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a management interface configured to provide network data associated with components of the vehicle via a wireless communications link to the ground-based device, to a second ground-based network device, or to both, and wherein the switching configuration data is further based on control information received via the wireless communications link from at least one of the ground-based device or the second ground-based network device.